How Menopause Affects Productivity at Work and Corporate America’s Neglect of Women's Health

Did you know that menopause affects over half the population and costs companies billions in lost productivity each year? And yet, it's still one of the most overlooked issues in the workplace. Well, today’s episode focuses on the impact of menopause on the workforce.

I share my experience with a tech company's absurd mishandling of women’s health, where a session titled "Navigating the Uniqueness of the Female Body" (and no, I'm not kidding!) was beyond offensive. I’ll share some shocking statistics on menopause and its symptoms, which can last up to - get this - 20 years!

Additionally, my guest, Tamsen Fadal, a former journalist turned menopause advocate, recounts a personal story about collapsing in the newsroom due to her symptoms, which led her to focus on raising awareness about menopause. Tamsen is about to launch a documentary called The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause, and continually advocates for better workplace education and support for women experiencing menopause.

Tamsen stresses the need for companies to address menopause and highlights organizations that are making progress in this area. She emphasizes that better education and treatment can improve both employee well-being and workplace productivity.

Whether you're experiencing menopause, know someone who is, or just want to create a more supportive work environment, this conversation is for you. Tune in to learn how you can be part of the change.

“As long as we know what to expect, and you’re not surprised or sideswiped by something, it just makes it a little bit easier—even if the symptoms are not.”
-Tamsen Fadal

In This Episode:
00:00 Introduction
03:44 Defining menopause and its symptoms
06:15 The prevalence of menopause and perimenopause
07:48 Economic and workplace implications of menopause
13:45 Real-life examples of the wrong approach to women’s health
20:19 Tamsen Fadal’s path to menopause advocacy
22:01 How organizations can support women during menopause
29:02 How women should handle ageism in the workplace

Resource Used in the Episode:
Economic Impact of Menopause: Individual and Collective Costs: https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/work-...

Connect with Tamsen Fadal:
Website: https://www.tamsenfadal.com/
LinkedIn:   / tamsenfadal  
Instagram:   / tamsenfadal  

Connect with Maureen Wiley Clough:
Instagram:   / itgetslateearly  
Website: https://www.itgetslateearly.com/
LinkedIn:   / maureenwclough  
Facebook:   / 100088694515585  

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#menopause #perimenopause #menopausesymptoms